‘Absolute Failure’: DNC Passes Perez Resolution Reversing Ban on Donations From Fossil Fuel PACs
Activists immediately denounced the measure, which “also recommits the party to an ‘all of the above’ energy stance.”
(Common Dreams) Just two months after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was celebrated by environmentalists for banning donations from fossil fuel companies, it voted 30-2 on Friday to adopt a resolution from Chair Tom Perez that critics said effectively reverses the ban and represents “an absolute failure by the DNC.”
The Huffington Post‘s Alexander Kaufman tweeted Friday:
UPDATE: resolution passed in a 30-to-2 vote.
from DNC epic: “After hearing concerns from Labor that this was an attack on workers, this resolution acknowledges the generous contributions of workers, including those in energy, who organize and donate to Democratic candidates.”
— Alexander Kaufman (@AlexCKaufman) August 10, 2018
To put a fine point on it: This proposal isn't to let union members keep donating to the DNC. It's to let fossil fuel executives keep donating and selling influence among Democrats. Certain unions (incl some building trades) see their interests as aligned with those of executives
— Kate Aronoff (@KateAronoff) August 10, 2018
People for Bernie pointed to the four words of the resolution that caused anger and concern ahead of and following Friday’s vote—language that allows employees of oil and gas companies to donate through corporate political action committees (PACs).
There are 435 words in @TomPerez' resolution.
431 are fine. 4 change the policy of the party and go against the will of @TheDemocrats' base pic.twitter.com/472uK83lSv
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) August 10, 2018
The unanimously approved original resolution—which requires the DNC to reject “corporate PAC contributions from the fossil fuel industry”—was spearheaded by Christine Pelosi, the daughter of Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and a member of the DNC’s executive committee.
Christine Pelosi tried Friday to pressure the committee to remove the language in Perez’s resolution which undermines the ban on corporate PAC donations, but her proposal was voted down 28-4:
To be clear —> @DNC staff and officers NEVER consulted me on language to reverse my resolution banning corporate fossil fuel PAC money and now said they have to keep the resolution as is because of all the work *we* did. 4 Yes votes; 28 No votes so my motion to ban PAC $ fails.
— this account fights scaredy-cats? (@sfpelosi) August 10, 2018
While a DNC spokesperson claimed to Kaufman that the resolution is “not a reversal,” adding that “any review of our current donations reflects” the party’s “commitment” to no longer taking donations from the industry, reactions among activists and party supporters ranged from worried to infuriated.
Jerald Lentini, deputy director of the Democratic fundraising group It Starts Today, pointed out in an interview with Kaufman that this resolution may only apply to Democratic campaigns, meaning the new measure may not fully annul the first resolution but would still “repudiate the spirit” of it.
Others were far more critical:
The Left: Everyone who wants a job should get one.
DNC: We agree.
The Left: Great! Let's do a federal jobs guarantee!
DNC: Nah, let's just … *checks API-written teleprompter notes* … take money from fossil fuel companies while the world literally burns. https://t.co/iMzd3s4eV1
— Marc Daalder (@marcdaalder) August 10, 2018
.@DNC just reversed course on banning donations from fossil fuel companies, and we demand another vote! We'll hold the DNC accountable to its values & force a new vote in Chicago in 2 weeks.
TAKE ACTION: https://t.co/0AjcXwPxcW #NoFossilFuelMoney https://t.co/gBPnVFETly
— Oil Change U.S. (@OilChangeUS) August 11, 2018
And, as 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben noted, “the issue goes beyond the donations,” because Perez’s resolution “also recommits the party to an ‘all of the above’ energy stance, which was taken out of the platform after a lot of hard work in 2016.”
Responding to McKibben, Bold Nebraska founder and Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Fleming Kleeb vowed that “many of us” will fight the resolution at a DNC meeting later this month:
None of this makes sense—@BarackObama took OFF all references to “all of the above” on Whitehorse website. Why in the age of Trump, wildfires, and eminent domain for private gain are we using land gauge and stances of the GOP? Many of us will fight this at @DNC meeting in August.
— Jane Fleming Kleeb (@janekleeb) August 11, 2018
Highlighting climate scientists’ concerns about the “all of the above” energy position, Aronoff added:
To say the quiet part loud, the DNC is denying the reality of climate change: pic.twitter.com/fuec7cmz17
— Kate Aronoff (@KateAronoff) August 11, 2018
They just don’t care about any of us
Nancy P. Wonders why people are pissed about her leadership? There isn’t any!
Democrats probably won’t hear about this part.
Who fucking cares?
They are broke! Got to get the money somewhere.
I guess this tells you what they will do on Citizens United!
What is the face of the democratic party ? This guy ? Who is he ? All I see in Washington are democratic wall flowers.
They are digging there own grave. The DNC is useless. The DNC needs new leadership.
Making America great again for those who want to make riches off of destroying our Earth again.
Typical Democratic Socialist don’t let morals getting away of making money